NROFC PRESS RELEASE
NROFC Bureau: NROFC (Non-Resident Oriya Facilitation Centre) in cooperation with the NRO
Cell of Government of Orissa had celebrated 2nd Prabasi Utkaliya Divas and thereby
organised a whole day symposium on “Orissa Development” on 25th Dec ’05
(Sunday) at Swosti Plaza, Bhubaneswar.
While inaugurating the Symposium, Mr. Naveen Pattanaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of
Orissa said that NROFC had done a great job by taking all NROs under one umbrella. He said
(quote) “I am proud that some academics among you have set up technical colleges in
Orissa, a great number have been visiting Orissa’s colleges and Universities to
enhance the quality of education. A lot of you are taking up social uplift work in rural
areas of the State. A good number of call centers and software development centers have
been set up by you, one of them the STI (Systems Technology International) has grown to
employ almost a hundred professionals. I am proud that one biotech firm IMGENEX has grown
within two years to have an export of more than ten million rupees. Two days more and the
President of India will be inaugurating its technical lab, which I understand is slated to
go into stem cell research and production next year.
Orissa is proud of the largest FDI, not only in India but in the whole world. That is
POSCO. We have many hurdles but with your cooperation and cooperation of the people of
Orissa I am sure we will overcome them. Having watchful eyes from a distance you feel pain
when Orissa is deprived of its share of central projects of excellence like National
Institute of Science. I am proud of your feelings for your home State. Let me assure you
all here that I am not a silent spectator.”(Unquote)
Dr Damodar Rout praised NROs for enriching the land wherever they have gone and asked them
to spare no pains to aid State’s efforts at raising the standards of Oriyas and
adding to the State’s GDP through industries and education. Shri Debashis Nayak,
Minister I&PR, Sports & Youth Affairs emphasized on developing proper linkages
between the NROs and their home State.
Mr. Dhirendra Kar, Vice-President OSA in his speech requested the press to emphasize
positive side of the State’s development and resource utilization rather than
focusing on individual faults. He clarified that NROFC is a facilitating organization to
aid NROs’ works in Orissa and help remove the hurdles in their enterprises inOrissa.
As such NROFC is not an NGO to compete with other NGOs but an effort to coordinate
activities of NROs in Orissa. Mr. Sahadeva Sahoo, Ex-Chief Secy, and President NROFC, the
man behind the Symposium wished that the foreign remittances the NROs make to their
kinsmen could better be invested in enterprises owned and operated by/through their kins,
as that would be a value added growth for the State. He further wished “If only the
State could tap the knowledge of the NROs!”.
A Souvenir was released by the Chief Minister, Mr. Naveen Pattanaik.
The inauguration ceremony was followed by technical sessions in which NROs took active
part. Discussions ranged from means to promote Oriya culture to industrialization, to
academic development, excellence in technical education including Biotechnology and
Bioinformatics and to empowerment of the rural population in the State. Lively discussions
were followed by organisational structuring of the NROFC. The evening was a fabulous
cultural programme hosted by the Department of Culture.
NROFC and all attendees were thankful to the hosts who are arranged the whole show
including tea, lunch and dinner.
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